S/Sgt. Jeffrey Wayne Bray, 49, died Monday, Oct. 24, 2016 at Columbus Regional Healthcare. He was born in Randolph County Dec. 9, 1966, the son of Martha Woodell Lindsey of Asheboro and the late John Franklin Bray.

He was a decorated veteran of the U.S. Air Force, a Senior Airman having served with a Combat Control Team and was awarded a Silver Star Medal.

S/Sgt. Jeffrey Bray, U.S. Air Force Silver Star Presentation

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star Medal to Jeffrey Bray, Staff Sergeant, U.S. Air Force, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in connection with military operations against an opposing armed force in Mogadishu, Somalia, from 3 Oct. 1992 to 4 Oct. 1992. On these dates, Staff Sergeant Bray, a 24th Special Tactics Squadron Combat Controller, was attached to a joint service search and rescue security team tasked to respond to the crash of a United States UH-60 helicopter. While serving with a U.S. Army Ranger element trapped and surrounded inside a building in the city, Staff Sergeant Bray coordinated helicopter gunship fire on targets all around his position throughout the night. He developed tactics and techniques on the spot that allowed him to mark friendly forces’ locations so that helicopter gunships could destroy close enemy concentrations. By his gallantry and devotion to duty, Staff Sergeant Bray has reflected great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.

His family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29 at Peacock Funeral Home. Burial will be in Arlington National Cemetery at a later date.

He is survived by his wife, Sherry Blackman Bray; his mother, Martha Woodell Lindsey of Asheboro; one brother, John Wayne Bray and wife, Nora, of Raleigh; and one sister, Stephanie Michelle Lindsay of Asheboro.